The Democratic Party addresses national security through many issues, including the energy dilemma and general economic situation, diverse outlooks on the war in the Middle East, and technology-based advancements that will allow a more secure nation. In the words of the Democrats' national platform, Democrats "put national security above divisive politics," indicating that it would seem like they support the Patriot Act, but, ironically enough, the party is actually somewhat divided on the issue. Therefore, the party may be united on what we should do to accomplish its national security goals, but it is divided on how to perform these tasks. For instance, a proposed option is to address foreign troubles in order to solve our own. Decreasing poverty and "sharing riches" around the world are common grounds for expansion in this area, but the political process has often prevented many of these goals from being realized.
Climate change itself has been noted as a national security issue in the eyes of the Democrats, in addition to its economic and environmental impacts. Similar to before, the strategy of protecting our nation against these physical threats is perpetually debated, so we continue to stand divided, and progress no further. This topic is directly related to our energy insecurity, which has been threatened for decades now.
Public safety is another direct link to national security. It is achieved by means of simple bills that can incorporate Community Oriented Policing Services for the betterment of the entire country.
Excerpts from the Democratic National Platform of 2008:
"As we combat terrorism, we must not sacrifice the American values we are fighting to protect. In recent years, we’ve seen an Administration put forward a false choice between the liberties we cherish and the security we demand. The Democratic Party rejects this dichotomy. We will restore our constitutional traditions, and recover our nation’s founding commitment to liberty under law.
"We support constitutional protections and judicial oversight on any surveillance program involving Americans. We will review the current Administration’s warrant-less wiretapping program. We reject illegal wiretapping of American citizens, wherever they live.
"We reject the use of national security letters to spy on citizens who are not suspected of a crime. We reject the tracking of citizens who do nothing more than protest a misguided war. We reject torture. We reject sweeping claims of “inherent” presidential power. We will revisit the Patriot Act and overturn unconstitutional executive decisions issued during the past eight years. We will not use signing statements to nullify or undermine duly enacted law. And we will ensure that law-abiding Americans of any origin, including Arab-Americans and Muslim-Americans, do not become the scapegoats of national security fears.
"In its operations overseas, while claiming to spread freedom throughout the world, the current Administration has tragically helped give rise to a new generation of potential adversaries who threaten to make America less secure. We will provide our intelligence and law enforcement agencies with the tools to hunt down and take out terrorists without undermining our Constitution, our freedom, and our privacy.
"To build a freer and safer world, we will lead in ways that reflect the decency and aspirations of the American people. We will not ship away prisoners in the dead of night to be tortured in far off countries, or detain without trial or charge prisoners who can and should be brought to justice for their crimes, or maintain a network of secret prisons to jail people beyond the reach of the law. We will respect the time-honored principle of habeas corpus, the seven century-old right of individuals to challenge the terms of their own detention that was recently reaffirmed by our Supreme Court. We will close the detention camp in Guantanamo Bay, the location of so many of the worst constitutional abuses in recent years. With these necessary changes, the attention of the world will be directed where it belongs: on what terrorists have done to us, not on how we treat suspects."
Action
According to most events that have taken place in the last year, Democrats are in a state of indecision for the next term of the Patriot Act. To change it is the most pleasing solution, though alternatives are in place. The voting process and the Senate's specific rules has caused for the act to be renewed, typically without much revision in the last decade, but most action being taken by Democrats is in the realm of section 215. This debate is so controversial because section 215 gives the government enough power to obtain nearly anything, even without a warrant.[3]
National Security[1]
The Democratic Party addresses national security through many issues, including the energy dilemma and general economic situation, diverse outlooks on the war in the Middle East, and technology-based advancements that will allow a more secure nation. In the words of the Democrats' national platform, Democrats "put national security above divisive politics," indicating that it would seem like they support the Patriot Act, but, ironically enough, the party is actually somewhat divided on the issue. Therefore, the party may be united on what we should do to accomplish its national security goals, but it is divided on how to perform these tasks. For instance, a proposed option is to address foreign troubles in order to solve our own. Decreasing poverty and "sharing riches" around the world are common grounds for expansion in this area, but the political process has often prevented many of these goals from being realized.Climate change itself has been noted as a national security issue in the eyes of the Democrats, in addition to its economic and environmental impacts. Similar to before, the strategy of protecting our nation against these physical threats is perpetually debated, so we continue to stand divided, and progress no further. This topic is directly related to our energy insecurity, which has been threatened for decades now.
Public safety is another direct link to national security. It is achieved by means of simple bills that can incorporate Community Oriented Policing Services for the betterment of the entire country.
The USA PATRIOT Act of 2001[2]
Excerpts from the Democratic National Platform of 2008:
"As we combat terrorism, we must not sacrifice the American values we are fighting to protect. In recent years, we’ve seen an Administration put forward a false choice between the liberties we cherish and the security we demand. The Democratic Party rejects this dichotomy. We will restore our constitutional traditions, and recover our nation’s founding commitment to liberty under law.
"We support constitutional protections and judicial oversight on any surveillance program involving Americans. We will review the current Administration’s warrant-less wiretapping program. We reject illegal wiretapping of American citizens, wherever they live.
"We reject the use of national security letters to spy on citizens who are not suspected of a crime. We reject the tracking of citizens who do nothing more than protest a misguided war. We reject torture. We reject sweeping claims of “inherent” presidential power. We will revisit the Patriot Act and overturn unconstitutional executive decisions issued during the past eight years. We will not use signing statements to nullify or undermine duly enacted law. And we will ensure that law-abiding Americans of any origin, including Arab-Americans and Muslim-Americans, do not become the scapegoats of national security fears.
"In its operations overseas, while claiming to spread freedom throughout the world, the current Administration has tragically helped give rise to a new generation of potential adversaries who threaten to make America less secure. We will provide our intelligence and law enforcement agencies with the tools to hunt down and take out terrorists without undermining our Constitution, our freedom, and our privacy.
"To build a freer and safer world, we will lead in ways that reflect the decency and aspirations of the American people. We will not ship away prisoners in the dead of night to be tortured in far off countries, or detain without trial or charge prisoners who can and should be brought to justice for their crimes, or maintain a network of secret prisons to jail people beyond the reach of the law. We will respect the time-honored principle of habeas corpus, the seven century-old right of individuals to challenge the terms of their own detention that was recently reaffirmed by our Supreme Court. We will close the detention camp in Guantanamo Bay, the location of so many of the worst constitutional abuses in recent years. With these necessary changes, the attention of the world will be directed where it belongs: on what terrorists have done to us, not on how we treat suspects."
Action
According to most events that have taken place in the last year, Democrats are in a state of indecision for the next term of the Patriot Act. To change it is the most pleasing solution, though alternatives are in place. The voting process and the Senate's specific rules has caused for the act to be renewed, typically without much revision in the last decade, but most action being taken by Democrats is in the realm of section 215. This debate is so controversial because section 215 gives the government enough power to obtain nearly anything, even without a warrant.[3]